Scientists at Aberystwyth University have discovered specific traits in Miscanthus that could help lock more carbon into the soil, helping to tackle climate change.

Miscanthus is a plant with many straw-like stems that grows up to four metres high per year. It is harvested in spring and grows back to produce a crop each year.

It can grow well on land less suitable for food crops and the harvested crop is typically used for bioenergy for heat and power. It also has a wider variety of other uses, including for green manufacturing and chemicals production, as a construction material and for animal bedding in livestock farming.

The crop can also store carbon underground, helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The new research, published in the journal Frontiers in Plant Science, identifies which plant features are most important for boosting soil carbon storage, helping farmers grow climate-smart crops while maintaining high yields.

By analysing the chemical makeup of the plant’s leaves, roots and underground stems, the Aberystwyth University scientists identified traits linked to soil carbon storage.

The study examined 11 Miscanthus varieties and found that rhizomes - the crop’s woody underground stems - move carbon deeper into the soil, where it can remain stable. Roots with lower levels of a natural plant chemical, lignin, store more carbon near the soil surface.

The findings suggest that the most effective Miscanthus varieties for tackling climate change are those with large underground growth and roots with lower lignin levels.

Dr Paul Robson, from the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, said: “This is an important breakthrough in our research - helping us understand which characteristics make Miscanthus most effective at storing carbon in the soil.

“The UK needs to reduce CO2 emissions in order to mitigate climate change, and we also need to develop our economy to take advantage of green technologies as opposed to relying on fossil fuels.”